


Smile

by DreamingOf4A



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: CoR2018, Gen, Injury, ROI2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 14:19:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16662515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingOf4A/pseuds/DreamingOf4A
Summary: Suddenly, Javi knew there was a little something he could do for Yuzu.





	Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for mistakes in this. It was written in a hotel in Malaga and the Frankfurt airport. Posted while standing in line waiting to board a plane home.
> 
> Inspired by Javi's performance on Charlie Chaplin's Smile at ROI Malaga which was healing after a day of bad news from Moscow. Also includes references to the new Team Brian book...

_Disclaimer: This story is fiction and does not in any way reflect on the real life people that share their names with these characters. It is also not intended to offend or disrespect and it exists simply because I find it really interesting to imagine how other people - potentially - live their lives._

“Oh, fuck!”

Javi startled.

It was really unusual for always cheerful Jeff to curse like that. Something really bad must have happened…

His mind, for some reason, immediately flew to Yuzu. He knew his crazy teammate had set his mind on doing the quad axel in competition this season and Jeff had just shown everyone Artur Dmitrev’s attempt at it yesterday. He’d hoped Yuzu would not react to it…

But surely there were many other things that could make Jeff curse with so much passion…

“What’s wrong?” David asked, rushing over to Jeff’s side.

“It’s Yuzu… Not sure what happened, but he’s injured again. Doctors are telling him to withdraw.”

“Ah, damn… what has this kid done to deserve all of this?!” David exploded as well.

“He had bad fall in practice on quad loop. Twist ankle.” Plush suddenly added. “Wife and Sasha are there.” he explained when everyone stared in surprise.

Meanwhile, Javi was trying not to let it get to him.

He had strong flashbacks of last year’s accident and Yuzuru’s struggle afterwards.

He felt almost physical pain at the memory.

Yuzu must be devastated…

But there wasn’t really anything Javi could do… Also, Brian was there now. He knew how to help Yuzu.

Javi had his show to focus on for now. And hopefully by the time he went back to Toronto, Yuzu would be back to normal.

He was quickly distracted by the start of practice, though and managed to push Yuzu out of his mind.

However, when they got to the Chaplin program, the lyrics hit Javi so hard he almost doubled over.

They fit Yuzu so perfectly!

They fit Yuzu at the Olympics, they probably fit Yuzu now and they likely fit Yuzu most of the time. Smiling through his pain was something the double Olympic Champion was ridiculously familiar with.

Suddenly, Javi knew there was a little something he could do for Yuzu.

Making a public dedication would create too much fuss, though. So, instead, he found his parents after practices.

“I need to ask you a favor!” Javi said as soon as he found it.

“Of course. What is it?” Antonio asked, frowning a bit because Javi rarely asked for favors.

“I need you to film Smile. The whole performance, after I come in.”

“Aren’t they filming it professionally?”

“Yes, but this is personal.”

“Javi, what’s going on?” Enriqueta asked, frowning a bit. Also wondering why Javi hadn’t asked Marina.

“It’s for Yuzu. I want to send it to him afterwards.”

“Ahh…” Enriqueta exclaimed. “So that’s why you didn’t ask Marina.” she smiled. Javi’s girlfriends invariably had issues with Yuzu, mostly because of the intense shipping, than because they had any issues with the young Japanese himself.

“Yes.”

“Why is it so important you send him tonight’s?”

“He’s injured again. I don’t know how bad it it, but probably pretty bad. He must be feeling awful…”

“Why are you so convinced it’s bad?” Antonio frowned again.

“He was told to withdraw. Also, it’s the right ankle. It’s really fragile and pretty much damaged for good now. Any small impact will set it off.”

“Oh, poor boy…”

“Yeah… but he’s crazy. He still does quads and wants to do quad axel and…” Javi shook his head. “Anyway, I just want to send him something as encouragement.”

“We understand. We’ll film it for you.” Enriqueta smiled. “And when you next see him, give him a big hug from us!”

Javi smiled. “I will.”

Returning to the dressing room, he was welcome by his co-stars shocked faces. Except for Plush who looked somewhere between proud and worried.

“What now?” Javi asked already afraid he’d hear more awful Yuzu news.

“He won… he altered his layout completely, landed 3 quads, fell on a triple axel and won. By 30 points.” Jeff said, staring at his phone screen.  
  
“And then he went to the press conference with a huge ice pack on his ankle and on crutches. Doctor’s orders are to rest for 3 weeks and he might have to withdraw from the final and nationals.” David continued.

Javi turned around and left.

He was surprised when, a few minutes later, he was joined outside by Yuka. He was extremely grateful she’d accepted his invitation, but they hadn’t interacted much.

She smiled warmly as she sat next to him.

“Are you ok?” she asked after a moment.

“Me? I’m fine. I’m great! About to have the second outing of my show with awesome people…”

Yuka chuckled.

“Indeed. But you’re worried about him, aren’t you?”

Javi sighed.

“Yeah. A lot of my friends don’t really get it. How Yuzu and I work. We’re not super close, but we understand each other really well. We know what it feels like. To win, to lose, to be injured, to struggle, to try to stay on top. And of course, then there’s pressure. Nobody knows better than me how much pressure Yuzu deals with. Both from outside and self-imposed. I was there through part of his struggles after the Olympics. I saw how much pain he was in. I was sitting two seats over on the flight from Toronto to Seoul, watching him put together the mask he would wear throughout the Olympics. Everytime someone mentioned how happy Yuzu looked, I cringed, because I knew the smiling was directly proportional with the pain. He was literally smiling so he wouldn’t cry. Of course, it wasn’t just dissimulating. It was also psychological. Smiling and putting on a happy face when you’re actually in pain is really hard. So he was forcing himself to be happy to really be happy. It’s hard to explain…”

“It’s ok. I know. Brian say so in new book, too.”

“Ah, right… anyway, I saw all that first hand. I was also there when the relief of winning hit. When he didn’t have to hold the mask anymore. I still don’t really get why me - though in a different way, I do get it - but he crumbled in my arms and I’ll never forget that. And then I saw him slowly recover his form during the ice shows. And when I last saw him, he was essentially back to normal. And now… now he’s back to where he was a year ago and I can’t bear the thought of it. I can’t. Imagine how he must feel? Though he’s much stronger than anyone else I ever met.”

Yuka sighed.

“He can’t really think like that. Just like you couldn’t last year. When it happens, you just deal with it as best as you can. It’s only when you’re a little detached - like you, now, because you’re not there and you don’t have to train with him every day - that you can think about it and come to conclusions like the one you said. When you have no choice but to deal, you deal.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess my issue is different…”

“Oh?”

“I feel like I should do something for him. Even if we’re not traditional friends. But to be honest, I’m not sure I want to deal with that anymore…”

“I think he’d appreciate just the desire. I’m sure he doesn’t want you suffering for him.”

“Maybe, but it sounds ridiculous and selfish.”

“Well, you can do small things. Like send him an encouraging message. Give him a hug. Make him laugh.”

“Actually, I asked my parents to film Smile tonight and I’ll send it to him.”

“Oh, wonderful idea!”

“But now I wonder, won’t skating look like rubbing it in?”

“No. Yuzu loves your skating. I’m sure he will be really touched.”

“He also loves Plush. Maybe I should film him instead…”

“No, Javi. He loves Plush as an idol, but he’s much closer to you. It’ll mean a lot more to him if it’s you.”

Javi sighed and nodded.

Hours later, before taking the ice for that program, he took deep breaths, relaxed and remembered hugging Yuzu. Holding the lithe body in his arms, Yuzu melting against him. Warm, soft and so trusting. Open with Javi despite it not being as Javi was used to.

With that image in mind, of the young man he shared good and bad moments with and who meant a lot to him, though it was a friendship unlike any other, rather than the double Olympic Champion skating God most people knew, Javi took to the ice and performed one of his best renditions. Sweet and cheerful, imagining the Revolutionettes he was cheering were Yuzu.

Late that night, when he finally made it back to his hotel, while Marina was showering, he sent the video to Yuzu. It was 3am in Malaga, so it must have been 5am in Moscow.

It did not surprise Javi when he got a reply in 5 minutes.

“Javi skate that for me?”

“It’s part of the usual program, but I skated it thinking of you today.” Javi replied honestly.

“Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it mean to me!”

Javi smiled.

“Think of it as a virtual hug until I get to really hug you.”

“I love virtual hug, but I love real hug more. When you come to Toronto?”

“I’m not sure. Shows are done until nationals, but I’m not sure if to come to Toronto before nationals. There’s not much point… But even if not, I’ll be there in January. It’s not that far.”

“Ok. I wait for Javi in Toronto then. And for real Javi hug.”

“I think you want my hug more than you want me around.”

“Javi hug is the best. But Javi is better. Want Javi around even if no hugs!”

“Ok. Wait for me, then.”

“I always wait for Javi.”

Javi smiled at that, feeling ridiculously fuzzy. He went to bed feeling much better and realized that in pure Yuzuru style, he had comforted more than been comforted.

Right before giving in to sleep, Javi made a mental vow to make it up to Yuzu, as soon as possible.


End file.
